What's Up, Waveland? - January 2018

Waveland Mayor Mike Smith sits in as columnist for Alderman Jeremy Burke this month, with a look back at 2017 and a look ahead into the coming year. 

This past year has been a  prosperous year for the City of Waveland, and the future outlook looks even brighter. Residential structures are springing up throughout the city. Waveland currently has 27 active building permits for residential homes and has issued approximately 45 residential or commercial building permits during 2017.

As 2017 comes to a close, we welcome the new year with projects beginning to break ground, such as the much anticipated Lighthouse/Bathroom facility, which will be substantially completed during the fall 2018. This project is a true partnership between the Hancock County Board of Supervisors and the City of Waveland. 

The financial aspects of this project are that the lowest and most responsive bid was  $1,900,000. The Hancock Supervisors pitched in more than $800,000 from GOMESA funds and the remainder is being paid through Tidelands Funds, meaning zero dollars to the taxpayer. I give a huge THANK YOU to the Hancock County Board of Supervisors. 

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​Also, 2018 will bring the long awaited and much needed parking bays along  Beach Boulevard  and pagodas along the pedestrian beach walking path.

The Nicholson Avenue overlay and bike path project is in the design/survey phase. This project will create a bike path alongside Nicholson Avenue from Highway 90 to the CSX railroad.

The Waveland Avenue Sidewalk project which will go for bid in early spring consists of five-foot sidewalks on the East and West sides of Waveland Avenue from the CSX railroad to Highway 90. This project was approved for funding in 2015.

The sidewalk project is funded through the Mississippi Department of Transportation, and several departments of the agency have to approve each step. However, we are almost over that hurdle.

A city-wide sewer repair project will begin as soon as the few remaining right-of-entries are signed. Please be patient in the areas that are to be replaced. The areas that will be most affected with the construction will be Meadow Lane, Herlihy Street and a portion of Gladstone.

​At the very end of December a lease was awarded to Studio Inferno to take over the vacant spaces of the Business Center. I’m really excited to have this arts center open on Coleman Avenue. We believe that it will promote growth in the downtown area of Waveland. These artists are wonderful people and bring a unique type of art culture to our charming little city.

New Orleans artists Mitchell and Erica Larkin Gaudet signed a lease on the Waveland Business Center in December. photo by Sarah Essex Bradley

A small bathroom facility will soon be constructed at Elwood Bourgeois Park, thanks to the revenue received from the sale of the city's remaining mobile homes that were previously used as the Police Station and Public Works. 

​Edward H. Wikoff Architects PC have completed the overview of the Coleman Avenue plan, which consists of an elevated boardwalk containing businesses on the boardwalk to overcome the challenges with the drastic flood elevations imposed by FEMA.

Once the architectural drawings are complete, Waveland will have those for review, and hopefully find support from the community and a funding source for this project.

In closing, I hope you and your family had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!

-Mayor Mike Smith